Register resetting mechanism



March 29, 1960 E. A. ROBBINS REGISTER RESETTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Dec. 12, 1958 -ll lL hil ll 21 new INVENTOR.

S N B B O R A R E M L E ATTORNEY March 29, 1960 E. A. ROBBINS REGISTERassz'rwmc MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1958 Y a H m m m TBW T O R A R E M L Y E B Unite States REGISTER- RESETTING MECHANISM Thisinvention relates to: a resettingmechanism for a resettable register andit has, for one of its objects, the provision of a simple andinexpensive structure which is easy to manufacture and assemble.

Another object is to provide a resetting mechanism whichis rugged andwhich is positive in its operation.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of thisspecification and the drawings which are attached hereto, made a parthereof and in which:

Figure l.is a side elevation ofa register equipped with the resettingmechanism.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of. an indicator wheel with parts brokenaway to show the driving ratchets.

Figure 3 is an elevation similar. to Figure. 2 showing the resettingpawl.

- Figure 4 is an exploded view of the resettingcontrol mechanism.

Figured is an end ele ation of thestructure of Figure.-4, viewed fromthe :left thereof and showing. the movable stop in variouspositions of acycle.

Referring first to Figures 1,2 and 3 in which the register in. indicatedgenerally by the numeral 1 and comprises a. number of indicator wheels3, 5 and'7 of ascending order.

The lowest order or tenths wheel is driven by gearing 9-froma volumemeter or. other device. Each time as the wheel or dial. 3 completes arevolution the transfer mechanism 4 will advance the units dial 5one-tenth of a revolution. Similarly as the units dial 5 completes awhole revolution, it will? advance the tens dial 7 by onetenth of arevolution through the transfer mechanism 13. Since the-transfermechanisms are Well known in the art, no further description is believedto be necessary.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 especially it will be seen that each ofthe dials such as 5, is fixed to a hub which is rotatably mounted on aresetting shaft 17. The dial carries one or more drive pawls 19 whichare pivotally mounted for oscillation about an axis which is parallel tothat of the reset shaft.

Freely rotatable on the hub 15 is a unit comprising a ten tooth ratchet21, which is aligned with the pawls 19 to receive one end thereof, and adrive gear 23 which is driven by the gearing 9 in the case of the tenthdial 3- or by the transfer gearing/l or 13 in the case of the higherorder dials. The gear 23 and ratchet 21 are fixed together.

As will be seen from inspection of Figure 2, the pawls 19 will permitthe dial to rotate clockwise relative to the ratchet 21 but will preventopposite rotation. Suitable springs 25 urge the pawls into engagementwith the ratchet.

As seen in Figure 3, the hub 15 is provided with a circumferential slot27 which receives the free end of a resetting pawl 29 which is mountedto pivot about an axis parallel to that of the reset shaft 17. Thelatter is provided with an axially directed V-groove 31 which is adaptedto engage the tip of pawl 29 when the shaft is rotated clockwise (Fig.3)so as to drive the dial in a atent 2,930,528 Patented Mar. 29, 1980clockwise direction but which permits-the dial tobe driven relative tothe shaft in the clockwise direction by the gear 23, ratchet 21 andpawls 19. Pawl 29 is urged into engagement with the shaft 17 by asuitable spring 32.

The numerals on the dial are arranged so as to increase the count uponsaid clockwise rotation and this occurs whether the dial is actuated bythe drive pawls. 19, ratchet 21 and gear 23 or by the resettingshaft 17and reset pawl 29.

Assuming-that the dials display a number such as 12 /2 at the end of atransaction. Tostart anew transaction it is desirable to reset the dialsto zero. The gears 23 and their ratchets 21 are held fixed by the drivegearing. To insure that all of the reset pawls are picked up by. theV-groove 31, it isdesirable to first-rotate the reset shaft in ananti-resetting direction a few degrees and thereafter clockwise to afixed position in which the zeros are displayed on all of the dials.

The mechanism thus far disclosed is conventional and is fully disclosedin the patent to Slye Number 2,264,557, December 2, 1941.

To compel the operation of the reset shaft as described, the novelcontrol mechanism is provided which is shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The reset shaft has a projection 39 which extends through the registerend plate 37. The projection has its end preferably chamfered at 41 andand is cut away on one side at 43 so, that the projection has a D-shapedcross-section.

Adished r0tor'45 has a radial'web 47 and a flange 49 which extendsaxially toward the end plate 37 as shown by the broken away portion,Figure 4. A D-shaped opening 51 is formed centrally in said web 47 toreceive the projection 39 so as to be driven thereby as the reset shaftis rotated.

A spring 51 is housed within the dished portion of the rotor. 'Itcomprises an arcuate portion 53 which extends for about 180 degrees andterminates at the upper end in a stop or projection 55 which extendsaxiallyparallel to the reset shaft and projects through the radial slot57 in the Web of the rotor and beyond the web a short distance. At thelower end of the arcuate portion, the spring extends in a substantiallystraight run 59 across the web where it terminatesin an axially directedanchor portion. 61 which enters, but does not pass through the hole 63in the web of the rotor.

A cam plate 65 has a central planar portion 67'and offset flanges 69,'71 at its upper and lower ends, which rest on and are welded orotherwise fastened to the register end plate 37. The rotor 45 isconfined between the portion 67 and the end plate 37.

The central portion 67 is cut out so that the edge defines a reversetravel stop 73, a guide projection and a generally spiral cam 77. Thelatter starts with a substantially horizontal portion which extends fromthe top of the stop 73 to a point about vertically above the free end ofprojection 75, continues in a spiral of shortening radius and terminatesat the end of projection 75 which lies substantially on the verticalcenterline of shaft 17. The end surface of the projection is also aguide surface for stop 55.

Two locating holes 79, 81 are formed in the portion 67 to receivelocating pins or projections 83, 85 respectively of the stop plate 87which is fastened to the cam plate. This stop plate is provided with acentral opening 89.

Above the opening 89 the plate is cut through along a vertical line 91which is slightly to the right of the vertical centerline of the hole89, along a line 93 at right angles to 91 and running leftwardtherefrom, along a line 95 parallel to 91 at the left end of line 93 andalong are 97 which runs from the top of line 93 to the right and to aradius 99 which is preferably about 45 degrees from the verticalcenterline of the hole.

. The ear or .tab 101 outlined by these lines. and the edge of thethole89 disposed between line 91 and the radius 99, is bent out of the planeof plate 87 about the radius 99 so that the edges of the tab coincidingwith lines 91, 93, 95 and 97 are disposed so as to intersect the planeof the cam plate portion 67 and so as to lie in the path of the firststop 55. The radial positions of the edges of this tab 101 and thevarious edges of the cam plate opening are clearly shown in Figure 5.This figure also shows the various representative positions occupied bythe first stop 55 during its cycle. The stop 55 projects through the camplate far enough to fall just short of the plane of contact between theportion 67 of'the cam plate and the stop plate 87, so that it will beeither stopped or guided by the various edges but will not scrape on thestop plate.

It will thus be seen that the end of tab 101 which is defined by line 91constitutes a zero stop and it connects with the intermediate or secondstop defined by line 93. Further, the end of the tab defined by line 95also is in position to guide the stop 55 in a radial direction. Theremaining portions of the stop plate, from which tab 101 is cut, do notextend into the path of stop 55 and hence cannot control it.

7 Operation 7 The stop portion 55 of the spring 51 which is the firststop, will normally occupy the position A (Fig.

at the intersection of the zero stop 91 and the second stop 93 of thetab 101, from the completion of one resetting until the start of asubsequent resetting operation. The rotation of the reset shaft 17 istransmitted to the rotor 45 by the projection 43 and D-shaped hole 51.The rotor in turn imparts such rotation to the projecting end 55 of thespring, this first stop will thus follow the rotative movement of theshaft. It will however be free to move radially inwardly and outwardlywith respect to the shaft by reason of the slot 57.

In the position A of the stop 55 (Figure 5) therefore, the tab willprevent the rotation of the shaft 17 in a clockwise direction which isthe same direction in Figures 2 and 3. This is the resetting directionas will be seen from the latter figures, since the notch 31 of the resetshaft 37, when rotated clockwise, will pick up the reset pawls 29 andcause the dials 3, 5 and 7 to rotate clockwise while the drive pawls 19idle past the teeth of their respective ratchets 21. Thus in order tofree the stop 55 it is necessary to rotate the reset shaft and stop .55in the counterclockwise or anti-resetting direction until the stop isfree from the edge 93 of the tab. When stop 55 is so rotated to aposition between edge 95 and the position B (Fig. 5), the stop 55 willmove radially outwardly, due to the resilience of the spring, to anouter limit position C in which the first stop contacts the edge of cam77.

As will be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the numeral dials are preventedfrom participating in the counterclockwise motion by their drive pawls19 and ratchets 21. Therefore the reset notch 31 will be rotatedcounterclockwise relative to the reset pawls 29. This insures that anysuch pawl 29 which may be hanging on the left edge of slot 31 will bepositively forced into the slot by its spring 32. The describedanti-resetting movement of shaft 17 is positively limited by the contactof the stop 55 and edge 73 of the cam plate which serves as a thirdstop, so that such rotation will not be continued beyond a reasonablepoint.

It will be seen that when the first stop is in position C, there isnothing to prevent the clockwise or resetting rotation of the resetshaft and the first stop 55 through the positions D to J and that thelatter position is deter mined by contact between the zero stop definedby the edge 91 of the tab 101 and the first stop 55. These elementstherefore determine the zero position of the dials and the edge 91 mustbe so located with respect to stop 55 and the latter with the resetnotch 31 of the shaft so that the Zero indicia of the numeral dials willbe properly displayed when the parts are in the position I.

It will be noted that the cam edge 77 adjacent the stop edge 73determines the limit of radially outward movement of the first stop 55under the action of its spring. It thus defines the outer limit position'of the stop 55. As the stop moves in its rotative path through thepositions from C to the position H just under the end of projection 75,it will havebeen moved radially inwardly by the cam 77 to its innerlimit position which is just to the left of the end of projection 75which is the terminal of thecam 77. It will thus be tensioned sothattwhen it'reaches the zero stop position I, i t will fly radiallyoutwardly through the gap between the zero stop and the end ofprojection 75, which is just wide enough to permit passage of the stop55 and it will return to its initial position A. The zero stop edge 91extends all the way to the edge of 93 so as to compel a counterclockwiseor anti-resetting rotation of the stop and shaft before furtherresetting rotation can occur.

It will thus be seen that the zero stop position for the dials isdefinitely determined and the reset shaft is compelled to move adistance in a direction reverse to thetresetting direction and then inthe resetting direction more than 360 degrees to insure that the resetpawls of all of the dials will be picked up and that all of the dialswill be zeroized so as to prevent starting a transaction with other thana zero indication on the dials.

It will also be seen that these functions are accomplished very simplyand inexpensively by merely form'- ing a special drive projection on thereset shaft, three stamped metal pieces 45, 65 and 87 and a simpleintegral springa51 and stop 55 and adding these to any resettableregisters of the type disclosed. If desired, holes 103 and 105 may heprovided in the flanges 69 and 71 of the cam plate to receive screws107, 109 for attaching the control mechanism to the register endcplate.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structureand arrangement of parts of the specific embodiments of the inventiondisclosed herein for purposes of illustration, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire tobe limited to such specific embodiments but desires protection fallingfairly within the scope of the appended claims.

said shaft, numeral dials of various orders rotatably mounted on saidshaft, means for advancing the lowest order dial in accordance with thecount, transfer means connecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl foreach dial, positioned for engagement by said groove so as to move itsdial toward zero position uponresetting rotation of said shaft, theimprovement which includes a first stop connected for rotation with saidshaft and mounted for movement transversely of the direction ofrotation, between first and second limits, means for urging said stoptoward one of said limits, control means disposed in the rotational pathof said stop for moving it transversely from one of said limits to theother, against the action of said urging means, as said stop is rotatedin the resetting direction, a zero stop disposed for engagement by saidfirst stop to halt the resetting rotation of said stop and shaft in aposition with said dials zeroized, said control means terminatingadjacent said zero stop so as to release said first stop for returntoward said one limit upon engagement of said first and zero stops, afixed stop disposed in the path of return of said first stop so as :tointerrupt its return at estates a position intermediate said limits,'said zero stop extending to said fixed stop, said extending apredetermined distance in "the anti-resetting direction so as to compelreverse rotation of said reset shaft and said first stop to free thelatter for return to said one "limit.

2. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein said control means comprisesa fixed cam disposed so as to support said first stop against the actionof said urging means.

3. The structure defined by claim 2 wherein said cam is defined by asubstantially spiral cam surface, the terminal portions of which definethe limits of the transverse movement of said first stop.

4. In a resettable register which includes a reset shaft having alongitudinal reset groove, means for rotating said shaft, numeral dialsof various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancingthe lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer meansconnecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial positioned forengagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero positionupon resetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes amember mounted on said shaft, for rotation thereby and extendinggenerally radially therefrom, a first stop mounted for rotation by saidmember and also mounted for movement relative to said member,transversely of its direction of rotation, between first and secondlimits, means for urging said stop toward one of said positions, controlmeans disposed in the rotational path of said stop, for moving said stopfrom one of said limits to the other, against the action of said urgingmeans, as said stop is rotated in the resetting direction, a zero stopdisposed for engagement by said first stop to halt the resettingrotation of said stop and shaft in a position with said dials zeroized,said control means terminating adjacent said zero stop so as to releasesaid first stop for return toward said one limit upon engagement of saidfirst and zero stops, a fixed stop, disposed in the path of return ofsaid first stop, so as to interrupt its return at a positionintermediate said limits, said zero stop extending to said fixed stop,said fixed stop extending a predetermined distance in the anti-resettingdirection so as to compel reverse rotation of said reset shaft and saidfirst stop to free the latter for return to said one limit position bysaid yieldable means.

5. The structure defined by claim 4 wherein said member comprises arotor which is mounted coaxially on said shaft and for rotation thereby,said control means comprises a cam having a substantially spiral edgeand is mounted axially adjacent said rotor, and said rotor defines asubstantially radial slot, said first stop comprises a projectiondisposed axially, transversely of said spiral edge and said slot so asto be moved in a spiral path defined by said cam edge when said rotor isrotated.

6. The structure defined by claim 5 which includes a spring memberhaving one end mounted on said rotor and the other end attached to saidfirst stop and arranged to urge said stop toward said cam edge.

7. The structure defined by claim 4 which includes a third stop disposedin the path of said anti-resetting movement of said first stop to limitsuch motion.

8. In a resettable register which includes a reset shaft having alongitudinal reset groove, means for rotating said shaft, numeral dialsof various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancingthe lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer meansconnecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial positioned forengagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero positionupon resetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes afirst stop, mounted for movement in directions transversely of saidshaft, between first and second limits, control means disposed forengagement by said stop, so as to control the transverse movement ofsaid stop, and defining said lim- "shaft for relatively rotating so asto move said stop from one limit to the other, in

,zero stop, in the anti-resetting direction,

ment with "said control means, means operable by 'said s'aid -stop andcontrol means opposition to said yieldable means, a zero stop disposedto prevent relative rotation beyond a position in which said dials arezeroized, said control means terminating adjacent said zero stop so asto release said first stop for return to said one limit by saidyieldable means, a second stop disposed adjacent said zero stop and inthe path of return transverse movement of said first stop so as tointerrupt its return to said one limit, said zero stop extending alongthe return path to said second stop, said second stop extending apredetermined distance from said so as to require reverse relativerotation of said reset shaft to free said first stop for return to saidone limit position by said yieldable means.

9. The structure defined by claim 7 wherein said control means comprisesa cam disposed so as to support said first stop against the action ofsaid urging means.

10. The structure defined by claim 8 wherein said cam is defined by aspiral surface, the terminal portions of which define the limits of thetransverse movement of said first step.

11. In a resettable register which includes a frame having an end plate,a reset shaft rotatably mounted in said end plate and having alongitudinal reset groove, means for rotating said shaft, numeral dialsof various orders rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for advancingthe lowest order dial in accordance with the count, transfer meansconnecting the adjacent dials, a reset pawl for each dial positioned forengagement by said groove so as to move its dial toward zero positionupon resetting rotation of said shaft, the improvement which includes arotor mounted on said shaft, outside of said end plate, for rotationwith said shaft, a spring mounted on said rotor for rotation therewithand having one end disposed for movement substantially radially of saidshaft, said rotor defining a substantially radial slot adjacent said oneend of said spring, a first stop mounted on said end of said spring andextending substantially axially through said slot for rotation by saidrotor and also mounted for radial movement in said slot, relative tosaid member, between first and second limits, said spring serving tourge said stop toward one of said positions, a cam plate mounted on saidend plate and disposed axially adjacent said rotor, said cam platedefining a substantially spiral cam disposed in the rotational path ofsaid stop, for moving said stop from one of said limits to the other,against the action of said spring, as said stop is rotated in theresetting direction, a stop plate mounted on and axially adjacent saidcam plate and having a zero stop disposed for engagement by said firststop to halt the resetting rotation of said stop and shaft in a positionwith said dials zeroized, said cam terminating adjacent said zero stopso as to release said first stop for return toward said one limit uponengagement of said first and zero stops, said stop plate including asecond stop, disposed in the path of return of said first stop, so as tointerrupt its return at a position intermediate said limits, said zerostop extending to said fixed stop, said fixed stop extending apredetermined distance in the anti-resetting direction so as to compelreverse rotation of said reset shaft and said first stop to free thelatter for return to said one limit position by said spring.

12. The structure defined by claim 11 wherein said zero stop and saidsecond stop are offset axially from said stop plate so as to enter theplane of said cam plate and the path of said first stop.

13. Thestructure defined by claim 11 wherein said cam is defined by theradially inwardly extending wall of said cam plate and said spring urgessaid first stop radially outwardly against said cam.

. 14. The structure defined by claim llwherein said 16. The structuredefined by claim 11 in which said first stop comprises the movable endof said spring. cam plate defines a third stop which is disposed in the15. The structure defined by claim 11 wherein said path of theanti-resetting movement of said first stop to rotor is dished and has anaxial flange directed toward limit such movement.

said end plate and said spring is housed within said 5 flange. Noreferences cited.

